I have about a dozen flat interior doors that I will be replacing with 6 panel. Door jambs are all in good shape It looks like the price of the non-cored version is 17 while the ones that have the holes drilled knobs are 29.

The measurement from top of old door to the center of door knob is 44 1/2". This measurement of the new predrilled slabs at HD is 44". So if I buy the more expensive predrilled slabs I will have some work involved with the old jambs having to move the strike plates up 1/2". Will this be more work than if I were to buy the cheaper undrilled slabs and simply drill the holes for the handsets to match the current height of the strike plate. That would save about $150.

I know I have some work involved with trimming the width of the doors 1/8" and also with mounting hinges. Prehung are not really in budget.

Which way would you go about it?

Thanks in advance!

joecaption

05-11-2013 08:44 AM

I'd hold off until I could afford prehung doors.
It would come out looking better and take less time to install.

ktkelly

05-11-2013 03:07 PM

Just did this same job at the beach house I bought.

Where there once was a jumble of flat, lauan plywood doors, there are now a nice selection of 6 panel doors.

I got mine when Lowe's had them on sale. All the various sizes were the same price. I recommend catching them on sale.

When you're there picking up the doors, get something like a Porter-Cable door hinge template (Lowe's Item #269942) and, if your hinges have square corners, a good 1" wood chisel.

Also a decent router if you don't already have one.

Careful measuring and the job will be a piece of cake, and a good excuse to buy some new tools....:)

user1007

05-11-2013 03:33 PM

A square and a framing level is in your future too I hope. Fitting doors to existing openings and jambs can be tricky. Especially in older homes, things have moved and changed shape.

I think I have to agree with Joe on this one. I would wait until you can afford to get pre-hung doors. Or read up and what it takes to fit a new door to an old frame, move the hinges, etc. There must be videos on You Tube.

I am not necessarily trying to talk you out of switching just the doors. Just be advised you may be in for more than you expect. It is usually not as easy as pulling the hinge pins and slipping the new doors in place.

Before you get box store doors, you might check with a real building supply company if all in your area have not been forced out of business.

If I red your post correctly? Doors drilled for the knob and mechanism are $12 each? Seems like a lot for something you can do yourself with a jig, hole saw, etc.

Dave Sal

05-19-2013 12:29 AM

I replaced builders grade hollow core doors in my house with solid core oak six panel doors around three years ago. I bought a Hinge-Mate jig since I had six doors to do, and already had a router. I removed the old doors, one at a time, and clamped it to a new one. That way I knew the exact location of the hinges and transferred the marks to the new door where the Hinge-Mate was clamped in place and the router put to use. I was also able to mark the proper length of the new door, and then trimmed a bit off the bottom with a circular saw. The lockset holes were marked the same way. The door was then stained and three coats of poly applied, the new hinges and lockset installed, and then rehung. Each new door was a perfect fit.

md2lgyk

05-19-2013 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Sal
(Post 1182250)

I replaced builders grade hollow core doors in my house with solid core oak six panel doors around three years ago. I bought a Hinge-Mate jig since I had six doors to do, and already had a router. I removed the old doors, one at a time, and clamped it to a new one. That way I knew the exact location of the hinges and transferred the marks to the new door where the Hinge-Mate was clamped in place and the router put to use. I was also able to mark the proper length of the new door, and then trimmed a bit off the bottom with a circular saw. The lockset holes were marked the same way. The door was then stained and three coats of poly applied, the new hinges and lockset installed, and then rehung. Each new door was a perfect fit.

This is exactly what I did in a house I once owned. Already had all the tools needed except for the hinge template, which wasn't expensive. I did the work on weekends, one or two doors at a time. Tedious and repetitive, but not difficult. But be advised, solid 6-panel doors are quite heavy. That was the worst part of the job; it was a 3-story house.

Dave Sal

05-19-2013 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by md2lgyk
(Post 1182274)

This is exactly what I did in a house I once owned. Already had all the tools needed except for the hinge template, which wasn't expensive. I did the work on weekends, one or two doors at a time. Tedious and repetitive, but not difficult. But be advised, solid 6-panel doors are quite heavy. That was the worst part of the job; it was a 3-story house.

You're exactly right. Because of the extra weight of the solid core doors, I added a third hinge between the other two. The builders grade doors were very light and could be carried with one hand. The new solid core doors took both hands and a lot of effort. :yes: